The youth of today...

...or, in the words of popular beat combo My Chemical Romance,
"Teenagers scare the living s**t out of me"

I don't know what to believe: is the youth of today really worse than at any time in history (which would require radical new approaches to classroom management and juvenile discipline,) or has every elder generation since time began despaired of 'youth of today'? I find myself torn between both opinions, on the one hand, by distressing news reports, and on the other by inspiring books by teachers, which encourage me to believe that there may yet be hope for mankind.

There was a spate of horrific, teenage knife-crimes in London earlier this year. Amongst the predictably hysterical media reactions, was a particularly poignant cartoon in Private Eye: two sober-suited and black-tied teenagers call at a house and ask the Mum, "Can Johnny come out to another funeral?" I despaired for the future of mankind.

I then took comfort from Aristotle (384-322 BC):
"When I look at the younger generation, I despair of the future of civilisation."
...and from Plato (427-347 BC):
"What is happening to our young people? They disobey their elders, they disrespect their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"

A friend moaned to me recently about her work-experience student: frivolous, listless, indifferent, unmotivated, sullen, graceless etc etc. I consoled her with Hesiod (8th century BC):
"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words."

I recalled my PGCE, 25 years ago, when reading 'Summerhill' inspired me with such optimism and zeal, that I set out on my teaching practice convinced I could change the world. Ten weeks with Class 4C at Sandy Upper School, and in particular with Beverley Nicholson (name changed, you know who you are) put serious dents in my optimism.

Finally, today I read an inspiring book (as yet unpublished) which completely persuaded me that youthful challenge of authority is a time-honoured game, of which both parties, teacher and miscreant, must understand the rules. When I finished reading, I turned on the news and heard that a gang of 30 children, challenged for dropping litter, had beaten up two policemen in Croydon.

Quick! Pass me something optimistic!

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[Kenzie]

I already knew it, but whatever thanks.
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[lacoste shoes]

Friendship is like earthenware: once broken, it can be mended; love is like a mirror: once broken, that ends it.Do you understand?